Vz. 33

Infobox Weapon
name= puška vz. 33


caption=
origin=flagcountry|Czechoslovakia
type=Service rifle
is_ranged=yes
service= 1934-1945
used_by=Czechoslovakia, Germany.
wars=World War II
designer=
design_date= 1933
manufacturer= Československá zbrojovka Brno, a.s.
production_date= 1934-1942
number= approx. 150,000
variants= Gewehr 33/40 (t)(produced for Germany)
weight= 3,35 kg
length= 995/1000 mm (G 33/40 (t) )
part_length= 490 mm
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge= 7,92 x 57 mm (8 mm Mauser)
caliber= 8 mm
action=Bolt-action
rate=
velocity= convert| 720|m/s|0|lk=on|sp=us|abbr=on
range=
max_range= 1000 metres
feed= 5-round internal magazine, two-row, integral box, with quickly detachable floorplate, loaded with stripper clip.
sights=

The puška vz. 33 [Československé ruční palné zbraně a kulomety, Miroslav Šáda, Praha, Naše vojsko, 1971] ("rifle model 1933", sometimes referred to as krátká puška vz. 33 - "short rifle model 33") was a Czechoslovak bolt action rifle that was based on a Mauser type action, designed and produced in Československá zbrojovka in Brno during the 1930s in order to replace the obsolete Mannlicher vz. 1895 carbines of the Czechoslovak "četnictvo" (gendarmerie). The manufacturers designation was vz. 16/33 (model 16/33), and although the rifle is often called carbine vz. 33, that was not an official designation of the Czechoslovak armed forces .

The design was partially based on the Mauser Musketon M12, produced prior to World War I for Brazil, but the bolt mechanism was the same as in standard Czechoslovak army vz. 24 rifle. Production of a slightly modified version continued during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia for the German armed forces. This version was 5 mm longer (due to a different buttplate), a metal plate was attached to the left side of the gunstock and with a German type sling fitted this rifle was issued to German mountain troops as the Gewehr 33/40 (t).

For the Czechoslovak army, gendarmerie and "Finanční stráž" (literally Finance Guard, which was a custom and border protection armed service under the command of the Czechoslovak Department of Finance) some 25,300 vz. 33 rifles were produced until 1940. From 1940 until 1942 another 131,400 of the Gewehr 33/40 (t) variant were produced for the German army. The German armed forces also used the rifles previously issued to the Czechoslovak military.

A few prototypes of G 33/40(t) with wooden folding stocks were produced for the German paratroopers, but this variant never went into serial production. [ [http://www.fronta.cz/dotaz/g33-40 cs icon Folding stock prototype of G 33/40(t) picture on Czech page] ]

ee also

*vz. 24 rifle

References

Ing. D. Řehák – Československé armádní pušky vz. 24 a 33, Střelecká revue 9/2000

External links

* [http://www.gunboards.com/sites/mrj2003/Czech/Czech.htm Czechoslovak rifles markings on Gunboards.com]